


For Life

by MadalineGrace



Series: What's Your Emergency? [20]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Impact Injuries, crush injuries, tag to 3x16
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23992516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadalineGrace/pseuds/MadalineGrace
Summary: Even from that high up, Eddie could see the moment that Buck realized the gravity of the situation, that the air bag was only half inflated and there were only seconds left until that rope snapped. The instant the line gave way, Buck angled his body backward and the two of them crashed into the cushion with a hard smack.Tag to the fire rescue scene at the beginning 3x16
Series: What's Your Emergency? [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688359
Comments: 14
Kudos: 301





	For Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! I wanted to thank you so much for all of your lovely comments. They really do brighten my day and motivate me to keep writing! As always, stay safe and stay well!

People always said that during emergencies, in the heat of the moment, the thick of the danger, that was when heroes were made. On some level, Eddie agreed. But he was also experienced enough to know that that was when some of the stupidest decisions were made as well. Right now was a perfect example of that kind of situation – an apartment complex up in flames and a woman trapped eight floors up with no route of escape. Given the plan that Buck had suggested, Eddie really couldn’t tell if this would go down as heroics or stupidity. It certainly wasn’t safe.

“You wanna do a rope rescue???” Eddie asked incredulously. At the serious look on Buck’s face, Eddie threw up his hand in frustration. “Of course you do.”

“Well, he’s not doing it alone. He’s gonna need you on the pulley. Go go go!” Bobby commanded.

Knowing better than to argue, Eddie followed Buck as he sprinted into the adjacent building. When they reached the roof, both men shared a brief, slightly nervous glance before leaping across the alley to the burning rooftop next door. By the time Eddie was over, Buck was already cinching himself into his harness. Eddie still hated this plan, but it was the best they had, so he attached the line to the pulley and began lowering him down.

Buck had only been inside for a few minutes, but to Eddie it felt like hours. The blaze was burning stronger with every passing second, encroaching closer on him.

“Eddie, I’ve got her, coming back out!” Buck called over the radio. Eddie knew he should’ve felt relieved, but there were still too many ways this could go wrong.

“Copy that. Fire’s getting a little close, we gotta double time it!”

Even as Buck leapt out of the window with the woman, Eddie knew it was taking too long. His fears were realized as the concrete beneath him began to crumble.

“Cap, the roof is gone!” He shouted, shuffling back from the gaping hole in the ceiling.

“Buck’s gonna have to lower himself the rest of the way. You secure that rope and get out of there. Mitchell, Sanchez, get the airbag!” Eddie wasted no time after Bobby gave the order.

“The line’s all yours, Buck.” He announced after anchoring the device.

“Alright, I got it. I’ll see you down there.” Buck answered, calm and steady, even as Eddie raced against the flames. Without a second glance, he flung himself back onto the other building, turning his landing into a sloppy roll that propelled him to his feet. He could hear the chaos from below, but right now, his only focus was on getting to the street, to his team. Eddie reached the ground just as Buck’s line caught fire. Even from that high up, Eddie could see the moment that Buck realized the gravity of the situation, that the air bag was only half inflated and there were only seconds left until that rope snapped. He recognized the set of Buck’s jaw. It was the one that always telegraphed his intention to do something risky. The instant the line gave way, Buck angled his body backward and curled himself around the woman as they fell. The two of them crashed into the cushion with a hard _smack_ that sent shivers down Eddie’s spine.

“Buck!” He was running forward with the rest of team, heart pounding madly in his chest. Bobby and Hen were already pulling the woman from the folds of the air bag. She seemed shaken, but mostly unhurt. With her taken care of, that left Eddie and Chim free to attend to Buck, who had yet to move. Alarm bells rang in Eddie’s head.

“Buck, you okay?” Chim pushed back a section of the bag to get a better look. Buck lay on his back, exactly where he had landed, staring up at the smokey sky as he gasped in shallow breaths.

“You good, man? What’s wrong?” Eddie asked, flopping awkwardly onto the half-inflated cushion. Really, there hadn’t been enough air in there to provide adequate insulation from the impact.

“Jus’…need…second.” Buck wheezed, still making no attempt to get up. Chim shared a frightened look with Eddie.

“Okay, Buck, try not to move. Can you tell me what hurts? Did you hit your head?” He motioned for Eddie to hand him a cervical collar while he carefully removed Buck’s helmet.

“Don’t know…but breathing…maybe just…got…wind knocked outta me?” Buck answered. Eddie flashed his best reassuring smile as he took his pulse.

“We’re gonna check you out and make sure. Just keep still, buddy. Chim, once you get that collar on, I wanna start deflating this thing so we can see what we’re dealing with.”

“Agreed.” When he’d finished, Chim waved over a few firefighters from another station. “Okay guys, we need to start letting the air out _slowly_. Diaz and I will support him as we go. Got it?” The others nodded and went to work on the release valve.

“S’not a big…deal. I’m…f-fine.” Buck gasped, his fingers gripping Eddie’s jacket tightly.

“Uh huh…” Said Eddie, raising a challenging eyebrow. “I’ll believe you when you can speak a full sentence.” Softening his tone, he continued, “We’ve got you, Buck. Let us help you.”

“We’re just being cautious.” Chim added. “You took the brunt of that fall, and you could have both impact and crush injuries.”

“Don’t…say that.” Buck groaned.

“Relax. It was a woman, not a ladder truck this time.” Eddie joked lightly. The air bag was nearly empty now, allowing them to lay Buck flat.

“Eddie, Chim. What’s going on? Is he okay?” Bobby rushed over, finally breaking free from the medical tent.

“Buck here had a hard landing. We’re just making sure everything’s where it should be, right pal?” Eddie’s voice was calm, but his eyes were scanning Buck nervously.

“R-right.” Buck coughed, wincing as the movement triggered a wave of pain.

“Talk to me, Buckaroo. Where does it hurt?” Chim repeated his earlier question while pulling open the flaps of Buck’s jacket. Buck was panting now, fingers curling into white-knuckled fists as sweat beaded on his pale skin.

“Easy, kid, just breathe.” Bobby coached, prying open one of Buck’s hands and taking it in his own. Buck squeezed back, almost painfully tight, as he rode it out.

“Ch-chest….s’my…chest.” He ground out. Eddie gently palpated the area, frowning as he felt something give beneath his touch.

“Got at least three broken ribs here. Left clavicle too, and a possible separated left shoulder. He’ll need x-rays to confirm.”

“Just gonna listen to your lungs real quick.” Chim said, pressing the stethoscope to his chest and listening intently. He frowned and glanced up at the others. “I’ve got decreased breath sounds on the left and a muffled heartbeat. One of those ribs must’ve punctured a lung and air’s building up in his pleural cavity.”

“His BP is dropping, neck veins distended. Is there an ambulance still left? I know Hen took one.” Eddie asked, casting around for another.

“Yeah, they’ve got a couple parked that way.” Confirmed Bobby before radioing for one to be brought over.

“Okay, Buck.” Chim turned back to him. “You’ve got some internal injuries and we need to get you to the hospital.” Buck said nothing, his focus entirely on pulling in the next shallow breath. It was getting harder and harder with each inhalation.

“Get that backboard over here!” Shouted Bobby. In record time, they transferred Buck onto the board and loaded him into the back of the ambulance. Bobby slid in behind the wheel and tore away from the still burning building.

“Cap, radio ahead and tell them we’ve got an incoming tension pneumothorax. Eddie, let’s prep for an immediate needle aspiration.” Chim ordered, already fixing an oxygen mask over Buck’s face. He was all business, shoving down the fear he felt. Buck was scared enough, he didn’t need to seem him afraid. Buck was barely conscious at this point, his lips starting to fade from pink to dusky blue.

“Hang on, Buck. We’re gonna relieve the pressure, alright? Just stay with me.” Eddie said softly as he tore open Buck’s shirt and swabbed the area with an alcohol wipe. “Little sting, buddy.” He warned, injecting the local anesthetic. Buck barely twitched.

“ETA two minutes!” Bobby called from the front.

“Alright, Eddie, you hold him down and try to keep him as still as possible.” Chim instructed. With expert fingers, he located the gap beneath the second rib, just below the collar bone, and inserted the large needle. Buck jerked, but Eddie held fast. The instant it was through the chest wall, a rush of air hissed out. Eddie listened carefully through his stethoscope for a moment, still holding Buck’s uninjured shoulder with one hand.

“Placement is good. He’s coming back.” He announced, voice shaking slightly. Chim nodded and wiped the sweat from his temple.

“They’ll insert a chest tube once we get there.” To Buck, he said, “You did good, kiddo. You’re gonna be just fine, you hear me?” He gave Buck’s hand a small squeeze, but Buck was too out of it to notice. Whether it was the pain, the lack of oxygen, or the shock catching up with him, he was quickly losing his battle for consciousness. His eyes were rolling back and his head lolled to one side.

When they at last pulled into the hospital loading bay, they were relieved to see a team of doctors and nurses waiting for them. Eddie and Chim barely had time to relay the situation and Buck’s most recent vitals before the man was whisked away beyond the double doors.

* * *

Once upon a time, when he was a much younger man, Eddie had loved hospitals. They had been a place of magic and miracles, a place where doctors did the impossible to save lives. His interest in medicine had him watching every appointment and procedure closely, even if it was something as mundane as a flu shot. Though his career had led him more toward emergency field medicine, Eddie still regarded hospitals as beacons of hope and excitement.

As he got older, his outlook changed drastically. Weeks spent waiting for his son to recover from surgeries dulled the shine a bit. And after getting shot in Afghanistan and enduring the seemingly endless hospital stay and PT appointments, Eddie found his mood shifting. Since joining the 118, he’d lost count of how many times he’d watched people, random strangers and family, disappear within those sterile walls, barely clinging to life. While his respect never wavered, his reverence faded. He had seen the hope and healing, but also the grief and the pain. Right now, sitting in this horrid chair and watching Buck sleep through dull, tired eyes, it was a strange mixture of both.

They’d been lucky, he supposed. Buck’s injuries were going to be painful, but he would make a full recovery in time. His lung had been re-inflated and he’d had surgery to fix the splintered rib that had caused it. The shoulder had been wrapped and secured with a sling and his concussion was, thankfully, only moderate. All in all, with a fall like that, it could’ve been so much worse. Buck had been sedated and drifted in a drugged haze the rest of the night, oblivious to the people around him. They’d sat with him, their little family, well into the next day. Sometime around three in the morning, Chim had taken Maddie home, and Athena had dragged Bobby away shortly thereafter. When Hen, too, decided to leave and check in with her family, she’d tried to convince Eddie to do the same.

She had been partially successful. Eddie had gone home for a bit, relieved Carla, and crawled into the small bed with his son. After the night he’d had, he needed some of Christopher’s warmth and light to soothe him. Christopher had slept on, peaceful as ever, though he’d snuggled tightly against his father. Eddie, however, could not find rest. As daylight began to filter in through the curtains, he’d carefully slipped out into the kitchen to start a fresh pot of coffee…only to find a fresh mug waiting for him on the counter.

“I thought you could use it.” Eddie whirled to see Carla standing behind him, holding a steaming mug of her own.

“Carla? What are…I thought you went home?”

“I did. But I was needed more here. Don’t think I don’t know that you didn’t get a wink of sleep tonight, hon.” She said with a knowing look.

“That obvious?” Eddie smiled sheepishly.

“You’re worried, Eddie. Your best friend - and mine - nearly died last night. It’s okay not to be okay after that. Normal, even. I know you. I know you won’t be able to calm down until you see him.”

“But Christopher-“

“Will be fine. He knows that Buck isn’t feeling well and last night he told me he was glad you were with him, that his Buck had someone to take care of him. I’ve got him, Eddie. Go check on our boy.” Carla urged. Eddie could feel the emotion building up in his chest, and for a horrible moment, he thought he might cry. Instead, he pulled Carla into a fierce hug, squeezing her with everything he had.

“Thank you. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m so glad you’re in our lives.” Carla chuckled and squeezed him back.

“Well, we have Buck to thank for that. It’s like Athena’s always saying. The boy has a heart of gold.” They pulled away, and if Eddie’s eyes were a little glassy, she didn’t call him on it.

“I should go. He’ll probably wake up soon.”

“Shower first. Poor Buck’s been through enough, he doesn’t need to be knocked out by your stench.” Carla teased good naturedly. Eddie sniffed his shirt and winced.

“Yeah, okay, that’s fair.”

* * *

Showered, shaved, and in clean clothes, Eddie walked into Buck’s hospital room feeling slightly more human. It was still quite early, so none of the others had arrived yet. Eddie settled into that same, horrid chair and leaned his elbows on the bed. Buck was still out, his chest rising and falling evenly, though Eddie was glad the gown and the blanket obscured the tube.

The room was silent, save for the steady, rhythmic beep of the heart monitor and the soft sound of Buck’s breathing. He reveled in the quiet for a while, enjoying the peace after the chaos and panic of the previous day. His mind drifted tiredly, flipping aimlessly through memories - some good, some bad – but all of them a reminder of just how much Buck’s friendship meant to him. A reminder of what he’d almost lost.

“Penny for your thoughts?” A voice asked from behind as a hand settled on his shoulder. Eddie flinched badly.

“Cap…Jesus, you can’t sneak up on me like that.” Eddie admonished, willing his heart to slow back down to a reasonable pace. Bobby raised a placating hand.

“Hey, in my defense, I called your name three times.”

“You did?”

“So I guess this answers my question as to whether or not you slept last night?” Bobby cocked an astute eyebrow. Eddie shook his head.

“I tried, believe me, but I couldn’t do it.”

“Me either.” Bobby confessed.

“Well, you look a damn sight better than me.”

“Ah…that would be the caffeine. Athena’s been buying this new coffee from that international market by the station. It packs one hell of a punch.”

“I should try that.” Eddie mused, raising his own paper cup. “This is my third today and I swear to God it’s decaf.”

“I’ll see if I can get her to send you bag.” Bobby chuckled softly. “How is he?”

“Pretty good, all things considered. Doctor said he was out all night.”

“It’s weird seeing him so still…so quiet.” Remarked Bobby. “You’d think I’d get used to it after all the times he’s been here, but it never gets any easier. I remember the first time…” Bobby shook his head and blew out his cheeks.

“What happened? Call gone wrong?” Eddie asked, genuinely curious. Bobby snorted.

“Hardly. No, he wasn’t even on duty. It was a Valentine’s Day dinner.”

“Okay, I know he’s got the worst luck, but how could that go so wrong?”

“You ever wonder why Buck holds the station record for the worst date story?” Bobby asked.

“I’ve heard that mentioned in passing and I’ve been meaning to ask.”

“It was his first real date with Abby. He was so nervous he’d mess it up. He got reservations at a fancy restaurant, Hen picked out his suit, and I helped him get ready. I even tied his tie for him.” Bobby added with a small laugh, smiling at the memory. “Anyway, before they even have a chance to order their food, Buck starts choking on the bread.”

“No.” Eddie shook his head incredulously. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“Dead serious. His own date had to do CPR, then perform an emergency tracheotomy in the middle of the dinner service. That was first time I’d ever seen him hurt. After Abby called me, I broke about a dozen traffic laws trying to get there. He was unconscious when I get to the hospital and I remember thinking how _wrong_ it was to see him like that. Buck was always so loud and animated, especially back then, and it seemed so unnatural. Still does.”

“I’ve always wondered about the scar.” Eddie nodded toward the faint, white line at the base of Buck’s throat.

“It didn’t slow him down for long. Like always, he was up as soon as the doctors would let him, before actually, and begging me to let him come back to work.”

“He does have a way of bouncing back.” Agreed Eddie. “Christopher calls him a bouncy ball.”

“Yeah, I just worry about the day he doesn’t.” Bobby muttered, running his fingers through Buck’s messy hair. “It took me a long time to realize how much I cared about this team, how much they’d come to mean to me. And it took even longer to accept it. I pushed them away and Buck pushed right back. Losing him, or any of you…I don’t think I could take that.” Bobby admitted. They sat in silence for minute.

“You know, Buck thinks about that a lot. Worries about losing us. He is so afraid that something will happen to this little family we’ve built. That someone’ll get hurt or that we’ll just drift apart one day.” Eddie said. Bobby glanced up sharply.

“He doesn’t actually think that’ll happen, does he? That we’ll just, what? Go our separate ways and stop talking after everything we’ve been through together?” Eddie shrugged.

“He doesn’t talk about it a lot, but he’s made enough off-hand comments for me to get a sense of what he’s thinking.”

“Well,” Bobby sighed, “we’re gonna have to fix that, right Buck?” As if on cue, Buck began stirring faintly. “Buck? Hey, you with us?” His nose scrunched up and leaned into Bobby’s hand. As his eyes began struggling open, one hand came up to pull at the oxygen cannula.

“Whoa, easy, buddy.” Eddie intercepted him, trapping the hand between his own. “You still need that.” Buck grumbled softly in response, but it was too quiet for them to make out any words.

“What was that?” Bobby asked, leaning in closer.

“Smell coffee…where’s mine?” Buck mumbled in confusion, eyes still foggy from sleep and medication.

“No coffee quite yet, kid.” Bobby said with a warm smile. Buck frowned, looking between him and Eddie.

“S’goin’ on? Why am I here?”

“Your line snapped while on a call. You hit the air bag, but it was a rough landing.” Eddie explained. Buck thought for a moment, blinking slowly.

“Apartment fire…and the woman. Gladys? I think I…did we jump off a roof?” Buck worked through the disjointed memories in his head. Eddie smiled and rolled his eyes.

“Figures that’s the part you remember. Yeah, you got her out and you’re rope caught fire on the way down. Then, you went all hero on us and took most of the impact.” Buck shifted experimentally in the bed, wincing when he felt the pull of _something_ in his side.

“Damage?” He gasped.

“Let’s see. Concussion, broken clavicle, separated shoulder, and three broken ribs here, one of which punctured your lung.” Bobby ticked them off on his finger. “You’ve got a chest tube in right now, so try not to move too much.”

“Well…crap. No wonder my chest hurts.” Eddie’s eyes grew concerned.

“Buck, if you’re in pain, we can page your doctor.” He said seriously, but Buck flicked a dismissive hand.

“S’okay. It’s not too bad an’ I already feel pretty doped up.”

“They do have you on the good stuff.” Eddie confirmed. “Still, you let us know if it gets bad.”

“Mmmhhhmmm.” Buck hummed, already looking ready to nod off again. Bobby’s hand resumed it’s slow motion through Buck’s hair.

“You can sleep if you’re tired, Buck. You don’t need to stay up on our account.” Bobby said, even though the last he wanted was for Buck to fall asleep, back into stillness, again. Buck stubbornly fought off a yawn.

“Not yet. Wanna stay here, with you guys…a little longer.”

“We’re not going anywhere. You know that, right?” Bobby’s voice was gentle, but firm, as he replayed his conversation with Eddie. “The 118, this family, it’s for life.” Buck glanced up. Between the drugs and the exhaustion, his expression was so open and vulnerable that it made Bobby’s heart ache.

“Promise?”

“You bet, buddy.” Eddie gave his hand a squeeze. “I chose you all and I am _not_ going back to Texas. You guys are stuck with me, whether you like it or not. Besides, can you imagine what Christopher would do if I tried to keep him from his Buck?” He shuddered dramatically, and weak grin spread across Buck’s tired face.

“Face it, kiddo. You’re _never_ getting rid of us.” Bobby added. Buck’s eyes drifted closed, the pull of sleep too strong.

“I suppose I could live with that.”


End file.
